Government confirms it raised bugging with US

The Government asked the US about its spying activities in Ireland three months ago, the Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed, but a surveillance expert said he would not expect America to have an operation in this country, as the work would be carried out by Britain.

The Irish Council of Civil Liberties has joined with similar bodies worldwide in stating that the NSA action violates human rights, and they are supporting an investigation into the activities by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The news that the Government had been in touch with the US was contained in a written response from the department to a question from Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith last July. It was unclear if the department had received a response from the US.